Department for Transport

Travel: Coronavirus

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government when travel restrictionswill be lifted to allow travel from the UK to the United States of America.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Travel from the UK to the US is restricted under Presidential Executive Order and regulations 212(f). These measures have now been in place for over 400 days and meaningful travel cannot begin in earnest until the US lifts these restrictions. The Prime Minster and President Biden have made clear the importance of bringing about the return of safe trans-Atlantic travel as soon as possible. The newly formed joint UK-US Experts’ Working Group is now underway, and we are working closely with our US partners on delivering this important goal.

Dual Carriageways and Motorways: Accidents

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyfatalities there were in each of the last three years on (1) motorways, (2) dual carriageways, and (3) single carriageways.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The number of fatal casualties in reported accidents on motorways, dual carriageways, and single carriageways in Great Britain for each year since 2017 can be found in the table below. Fatal casualties in reported road accidents by road type, GB: 2017-2020 2017201820192020 1Motorway29910710583Dual carriageway3268282252*Single carriageway3136613321330*Source: DfT, STATS191 The number of fatalities on motorways in 2020 is provisional. Data for 2020 fatalities on dual carriageways and single carriageways is due to be published in September 2021.2 Includes motorways and A(M) roads.3 Excluding motorways and A(M) roads.

Roads: Greater London

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 24 June (HL1198), what assessment they have made, if any, of the economic benefits which might be realised if responsibility for roads in London were transferred from the Mayor of London and Transport for London to the Department for Transport and the formers' road closure programme was reversed.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has no plans to amend responsibilities for roads in London.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a roadworthiness test for vehicles over 40 years old.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: There are currently no plans to introduce a roadworthiness test for vehicles over 40 years old.

Electric Scooters: Accidents

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Accident and Emergency hospital visits havebeen related to the riding of (1)trial e-scooters, and (2) private e-scooters, since the trials began.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of motoring offences in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. However, information on the type of vehicle issued with a motoring offence, including a fine or penalty points is not collected. The Department for Transport does not hold information on any fines issued by the courts. Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) were replaced by Civil Injunctions and Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) in 2014. The Ministry of Justice holds data on CBOs..Neither the Department for Transport nor the Department for Health and Social Care hold data on e-scooter accidents which have led to admissions.The Department for Transport has made no assessment based on the Berlin data. Safety of this new mode of transport is very important and a key part of our trials and evaluation. The Department has in place a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation programme for the trials. A final report will be published in spring 2022. Any future rules for e-scooters may not be exactly the same as the rules in trials, but they will be based on the evidence gathered. This evaluation includes a range of data sources and approaches including data sharing arrangements with operators, surveys, interviews and focus groups with users and non-users and interviews with key local and national stakeholders. It will also take account of relevant international evidence.Approximately three million journeys have been completed by trial participants. Local authorities are responsible for running the trials and information on customer service engagement is not held by the Department.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership: Askham Bryan College

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether answers to questions on the use of grants and loans by York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) toAskham Bryan College were taken into account in respect of decisions on the allocation of resources to the LEP.

Lord Callanan: The then York, North Yorkshire, and East Riding (YNYER) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) received local growth funding of £145.9m awarded in three rounds, announced in July 2014, January 2015, and January 2017. The funds were to be spent between financial years 2015-16 and 2020-21. Funding awards were based on consideration of local Strategic Economic Plans (SEPs), developed by each LEP. Creating skilled and inspired people was a priority in the YNYER SEP and local growth funding supported investment in agri-tech and land-based engineering facilities at Askham Bryan College, as well as a digital farm hub at the College. A condition of local growth funding allocations to LEPs was that all projects were subject to business cases that met an agreed local Assurance Framework including representing value for money to the taxpayer, being deliverable, and having a strong strategic fit. All LEP investments and investment decisions are publicly available on LEP websites, as the Assurance Framework requires. In 2020, the Government announced the £900 million Getting Building Fund (GBF) to deliver jobs, skills, and infrastructure across the country. LEPs and Mayors were invited to propose shovel-ready infrastructure projects that would boost economic growth, and fuel local recovery and jobs. Funding awards were based on a consideration of the strategic fit and deliverability of each project. The £15.4m GBF award for the geographically reformed York and North Yorkshire LEP included support for a Digital Skills Academy at Askham Bryan College, again subject to a business case meeting the requirements of the LEP’s local assurance framework as outlined above.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Grants and Loans

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what rules govern the provision of information by Local Enterprise Partnerships on their allocations to grant and loan applicants.

Lord Callanan: The rules for provision of information by Local Enterprise Partnerships on their allocations to grant and loan applicants are set out in the National Local Growth Assurance Framework, which was published in January 2019. This Framework provides the Department, Government, stakeholders and the public with the necessary assurances that LEPs have the policies and processes in place to ensure the robust stewardship of public funds. Specifically, it requires LEPs to publish bids and undertake a clear process of recording decisions reached and communicating these in a timely fashion to the applicant.

Construction: Vacancies

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of staff shortages on (1) the construction of HS2, (2) the construction of Hinckley Point C, and (3) their housing targets,as a result of construction workers leaving the UK ahead of the EU Settlement Scheme deadline on 30 June.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any increase in labour costs as a result of shortages of skilled workers in their cost predictions for the construction of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Lord Callanan: On 1 January 2021, the UK implemented a points-based immigration system that treats EU and non-EU citizens equally. The Government has introduced greater flexibility for businesses and migrants, while supporting the economic need of the country. A Skilled Worker visa route is open to all nationals who wish to come to the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. A range of skilled occupations in construction are included in the list of eligible occupations. The Government is supporting the construction sector in its drive to increase investment in skills development, and to equip workers with the skills that they will need for the future. On 1 June 2020, the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) published its Industry Recovery Plan. Employment and skills in the construction sector are identified as a priority, and a focus of the ‘Restart’ phase of the Plan is to maximise employment opportunities.The Government has welcomed the Plan and is collaborating with the CLC and industry to ensure that the proposals are implemented. The Government has been making strong progress against the ambition to build at least 1 million new homes in England by the end of this Parliament. Last year alone, around 244,000 homes were delivered – the highest number of new homes for over 30 years, and the seventh consecutive year that net supply has increased. We have not assessed the specific issues set out in these questions.

Energy: Conservation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the understanding of small businesses about energy efficiency schemes.

Lord Callanan: In line with the Government’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it is vital to improve the knowledge of small businesses about energy efficiency schemes. There are a range of steps that the Government is taking to do this. In May we launched the UK Business Climate Hub website, where small businesses can use the hub to find practical tools, resources and advice to understand their emissions and develop a plan to tackle them. The campaign will also provide small businesses with access to some of the UK’s biggest businesses and leading climate experts to support them in taking the simple and practical steps to protect the planet, and the benefits of future-proofing and growing a low carbon business. The campaign also encourages small and micro businesses to commit to cutting their emissions in half by 2030 and to net zero by 2050 or sooner. Further, BEIS has recently delivered a comprehensive upgrade to the Energy Technology List (ETL) website making it one of the leading sources of truly independent and trustworthy energy efficiency advice available to business. The ETL is a procurement tool that encourages users to specify and procure the most energy-efficient products available on the market. Businesses can have confidence that the energy performance of products are rigorously evaluated before being allowed on the ETL. Using the ETL allows businesses to streamline purchasing decisions, ensuring that efficient options are selected to decrease energy bills and increase green credentials. Going forward, BEIS plans to develop even more SME focused ETL content on the financial and environmental benefits of selecting energy-efficient products. This content will build on the positive feedback that BEIS has received from industry about the new website as demonstrated by the growth in new users that the site is continuing to attract. In order to increase the uptake of energy efficiency measures, the Government is also developing a new Small Business Energy Efficiency Scheme which will aim to support small and medium sized businesses implement energy efficiency upgrades in their buildings. Following a Call for Evidence on the scheme, a consultation will be published later in 2021. In order to help SMEs overcome barriers to investing in energy efficiency we launched the Boosting Access for SMEs to Energy Efficiency innovation competition. The competition offered up to £6m to fund the development of new, innovative market solutions that can provide businesses with tailored energy efficiency advice, as well as simplifying the energy efficiency investment processes through the creation of one-stop-shop platforms. For additional advice, small businesses may choose to access the Business Support Helpline, or may find the then Department for Energy and Climate Change’s SME guide to energy efficiency useful.

Small Businesses: Working Conditions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Newable Small Business Confidence Index, published on 15 June 2020; and what steps they are taking to assist small businesses in creating sustainable office environments.

Lord Callanan: As the world starts to recover from the Coronavirus pandemic, businesses have an opportunity to recover cleaner, rebuild greener and emerge better equipped for the future. Businesses of all sizes can access free support and guidance on accessing the right finance from a range of Government-backed sources: the network of 38 Growth Hubs in England – and equivalent support in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – the Business Support Helpline and the business webpages on GOV.UK. As part of COP26, through a campaign led by our Net Zero Business Champion my Hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and South Downs, small businesses from across the UK are invited to join the green business revolution and commit to becoming more sustainable. By November, the aim is for as many UK small businesses as possible to join the ‘Race to Zero’ – a global effort to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we all generate to zero by 2050. The first step small businesses can take is to visit our new digital platform and sign up to the globally recognised small business climate commitment. Here small and micro businesses can also get help and advice on how to be greener and save money. The new digital platform is embedded on the existing SME Climate Hub, which is part of the global Race to Zero campaign. Signing up allows businesses to publicly commit to becoming greener, plan the steps they will take to get there, show customers they are serious about climate, and help to start a green business movement. Taking action on climate change will help businesses to grow, seize new opportunities and adapt against the challenges of a changing planet. Reducing emissions can lower businesses’ running costs, save them money, and attract new customers who want to shop sustainably.

Department for Education

Financial Services: Education

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement personal financial education into the UK curriculum.

Baroness Berridge: Economic and financial education are important parts of a broad and balanced curriculum and provide the essential knowledge to ensure that young people are prepared to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed.Financial education forms part of the citizenship National Curriculum which can be taught at all Key Stages and is compulsory at Key Stages 3 and 4: https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum. Financial education ensures that pupils are taught the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management and managing financial risk. At secondary school, pupils are taught about income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings and pensions, financial products and services, and how public money is raised and spent.The Department works closely with the Money and Pensions Service and other stakeholders, such as Her Majesty’s Treasury, to consider what can be discovered from other sector initiatives and whether there is scope to provide further support for the teaching of financial education in schools.

Primary Education: Assessments

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many statutory assessments were required for pupils in primary schools in (1) 2018–19, (2) 2019–20, and (3) 2020–21; and how many will be required in 2021–22.

Baroness Berridge: In the 2018/19 academic year, statutory assessments took place for pupils in 4 year groups: Reception (early years foundation stage profile), Year 1 (phonics screening check), Year 2 (end of Key Stage 1 assessments), and Year 6 (end of Key Stage 2 assessments).In the 2019/20 academic year, all statutory assessments were cancelled.In the 2020/21 academic year, only pupils in Year 2 undertook statutory assessment of autumn phonics screening check. All other statutory assessments were cancelled.In the 2021/22 academic year, the Department intends to reintroduce all assessments from 2018/19 and introduce new statutory assessments in Reception (reception baseline assessment) and Year 4 (multiplication tables check), though details will be confirmed in due course. Year 2 pupils will undertake the autumn phonics screening check once more. The existing statutory end of Key Stage 1 assessments will become non-statutory once the reception baseline assessment is fully established.

Apprentices: Taxation

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the apprenticeship levy; and what plans they have to redistribute unused funds from the apprenticeship levy to other forms of post-16 education and training.

Baroness Berridge: The apprenticeship levy is an important part of our reforms to apprenticeships. As well as funding new apprenticeships for levy-paying employers, income from the levy is used to fund new apprenticeships for employers that do not pay the levy, as well as existing apprentices that started in previous years. Levy-paying employers have 24 months in which to spend the funds available to them before they begin to expire on a rolling, month-by-month basis.We do not anticipate that all employers who pay the levy will need or want to use all the funds available to them, but they are able to do so if they wish. Expired apprenticeship levy funds are not lost but are used to support apprenticeships in smaller employers and to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training.Apprenticeships are vital in driving economic recovery, and we continue to improve apprenticeships to make it easier for employers to make full use of their levy funds. Levy-paying employers can transfer up to 25% of their annual funds to help support apprenticeship starts in their supply chain or to meet local skills needs. As announced at the Spending Review by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, we are improving the apprenticeship levy transfer process so that, from August 2021, employers who pay the levy will be able to pledge funds for transfer to other employers, including small-medium enterprises (SMEs), supported by a new online service to match levy payers with SMEs.In addition, we are making apprenticeships more flexible so that they better meet the needs of employers from all sectors. We continue to support employers by encouraging greater use of innovative apprenticeship training models, such as the front-loading of off-the-job training. We are also developing accelerated apprenticeships so that apprentices with substantial prior learning (e.g. T Level graduates) can complete an apprenticeship more quickly.We currently have no plans to review what apprenticeship levy funds can be spent on.

Literacy: Teaching Methods

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their decision to administer a phonics screening check to year 2 pupils in the 2021–22 autumn term, what assessment they have made of the effects of such tests on children's mental health and wellbeing.

Baroness Berridge: The purpose of the 2021 autumn phonics screening check is to ensure that year 2 pupils who require further support in decoding phonics are identified early and given that support in good time. Schools should support a culture of wellbeing amongst staff and pupils, and while assessment is a fundamental part of a child’s education, it is not meant to cause them stress or anxiety. The department trusts schools to approach the phonics screening check appropriately.Children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is a priority for this government. The department is continuing to help schools support children and young people’s wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak. More than £17 million of mental health funding was announced in May 2021 to improve mental health and wellbeing support in schools and colleges.

Ministry of Justice

Child Trust Fund

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been madeto the Court of Protection for access to Child Trust Funds since September 2020.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Since September 2020, 11 applications have been made to the Court of Protection concerning access to Child Trust Funds.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Nigeria: Fulani

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to recent reports of targeted attacks in Nigeria against the (1) Yoruba people, and (2) Igbo people, by armed Fulani herders.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government condemns all incidents of violence in Nigeria. We are following with concern the increased insecurity in the South West, where there has been a rise in both criminal violence and distinct clashes between farmers and herders. We are also concerned by the increasing vigilantism in response. Narratives that define the violence by ethnic groups risk fueling tensions and further violence, as well as undermining efforts to address the complex root causes, which include competition for resources and rapid population growth.The Government is also concerned by the increasing levels of violence in the South East. We are working in Nigeria to promote intercommunal and interfaith dialogue, and continue to call for solutions that address the complex underlying causes of violence. Officials at the British High Commission regularly meet faith and community leaders and civil society organisations in both the South East and South West. During his visit to Nigeria in April, the Minister for Africa met the President's Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, and the Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, to discuss insecurity. The Minister raised the importance of protecting all communities across Nigeria.  The UK is also concerned about the plight of the estimated one million civilians living in inaccessible areas to humanitarian workers, of whom 880,000 have very limited access to food and to basic services such as healthcare.

Travel: Coronavirus

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the economy of South Africa of the UK’s decision to put South Africa on the red list for COVID-19 travel restrictions; and in particular the effect on (1) the tourism industry, and (2) funding for conservation programmes.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The current traffic light system categorises countries based on risk to protect public health and the vaccine rollout from variants of COVID-19.South Africa is an important partner for the UK, including in the tourism industry, which pre-pandemic saw approximately 400,000 British Nationals travel to South Africa annually. While we hope that travel for tourism purposes will resume soon between the UK and South Africa, public health remains our number one priority.The COVID-19 Pandemic has had a significant impact on South Africa's economy, with real GDP growth at -7 per cent in 2020. The situation remains challenging for 2021, although GDP forecasts are more positive. Many sectors of South Africa's economy have been affected, including the tourism industry, with South Africa receiving 72.6 per cent fewer tourists from countries worldwide in 2020.There is no direct link between UK travel restrictions and funding for conservation work, the UK remains committed to working with South Africa on environmental and conservation issues.

China: Ethnic Groups

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss the monitoring and harassment of (1) Uyghurs, (2) Hong Kong citizens, and (3) other groups in the UK, by the government of China with the Chinese Ambassador to the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned by reports that members of certain Chinese diaspora groups are being harassed by Chinese authorities, have raised the matter directly with the Chinese Embassy in London, and will continue to do so as appropriate. The FCDO is monitoring the situation closely.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerningthat government'sdenial of permission for patients in Gaza to leave for medical treatment in Jerusalem or abroad.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities, most recently on 1 June.

Syria: Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to vote at the United Nations Security Council (1) to keep open the crossing point at Bab-al-Hawa on the Turkey–Syria frontier for relief supplies, and (2) to re-open three closed crossings between Turkey and Syria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is urging members of the UN Security Council to vote in favour of renewing UN Security Council resolution 2533 in July to maintain current crossing point, Bab-al-Hawa, as well as re-open additional border crossings.

China: Uighurs

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the credibility of new evidence submitted to the International Criminal Court in June regarding alleged forced deportations of Uyghurs to China from other countries; and what plans they have to publicly oppose the deportation of Uyghurs to China from (1) Turkey, (2) Kazakhstan, (3) Tajikistan, and (4) other states.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to take a global leadership role in standing up for the rights of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. We have repeatedly called on countries to respect their obligations not to force persons to return to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of fundamental rights violations.British diplomats - working closely with likeminded partners - have intervened privately at senior levels with host governments on behalf of Uyghurs who have been at risk of refoulement to China. We also encourage all states, including Turkey, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, to uphold their international human rights obligations.

China: Politics and Government

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the systemic challenges presented by the government of China’s stated ambitions and assertive behaviour, as identified in the communiqué issued on 14 June by the Heads of State and Government participating in the Brussels NATO summit.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As set out in the Integrated Review the Government is investing in enhanced China-facing capabilities. This investment will enhance our understanding of China and its people, while improving our ability to respond to the systemic challenge that it poses to our security, prosperity and values and those of our allies and partners. At the same time, we will increase protection of our critical national infrastructure, institutions and sensitive technology, and strengthen the resilience of our critical supply chains, so that we can engage with confidence.

Israel: Torture

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the article by Derek Summerfield 'Is the international regulation of medical complicity with torture largely window dressing? The case of Israel and the lessons of a 12-year medical ethical appeal', published in the Journal of Medical Ethics on 15 June.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have not made an assessment of this article. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported use of "skunk water" by Israeli forces as a means of crowd control in areas with Palestinian populations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. We also urge the Israeli Government to respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of peaceful, legal protestors. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we continue to urge Israel to ensure that its investigations are transparent, swift and comprehensive. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Chen Quanguo and Peng Jiarui

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to impose sanctions on Chen Quanguo and Peng Jiarui for their connection to serious human rights abuse against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 22 March, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK has imposed, under the UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime, asset freezes and travel bans against four Chinese government officials responsible for the violations that have taken place and persist against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Alongside those individuals, the UK also designated the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the organisation responsible for enforcing the repressive security policies across many areas of Xinjiang. By acting with 30 other countries on an agreed set of designations we increased the reach and impact of these measures and sent the clearest possible signal of the international community's serious concern and collective willingness to act. The FCDO will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review.

Myanmar: Military Coups

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is theirpolicy on taking part in meetings that include representatives of the Burmese military regime who seized power in a military coup on 1 February.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government condemns the military in Myanmar, the violence against the people of Myanmar and the detention of members of the civilian government and civil society, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint. To this end, the UK has sanctioned the State Administration Council (SAC) and military members of the SAC to send a clear message that we oppose their activities. We are engaging with the junta where required for the functioning of the Embassy, for example with regard to the protection of British Nationals. The UK will also have to attend meetings where the junta's representatives are present but we are clear this in no way indicates support for the regime.

Myanmar: United Nations

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the UN for the UN Secretary General to lead a delegation to Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has supported the idea of a high level UN visit to Myanmar. At the UN Security Council we have expressed support for efforts by the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General to visit Myanmar. The Security Council Presidential Statement, secured on 10 March, called for the Special Envoy to visit the country as soon as possible. We welcomed the strong statements from the UN Secretary General in response to the coup and subsequent violence. The Prime Minister and the Minister for South Asia and the Commonwealth have both discussed the situation in Myanmar with the UN Secretary General. The Minister for Asia also met with the United Nations Special Envoy to register the UK's extreme concern at the coup in Myanmar and the arbitrary detention of democratically elected politicians and members of civil society by the military. We also reiterated our support for the UN Special Envoy and condemn the fact that the junta are denying her access into Myanmar.

Myanmar: Arms Trade

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whichcountries they have contacted regarding the introduction of an arms embargo on Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that no one should sell arms to Myanmar. The UK worked to secure a strong G7 statement on the 3 and 23 February urging all countries to immediately suspend arms sales to Myanmar. On 5 May, the UK secured a G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting Communiqué that committed G7 members to continue to prevent the supply of arms and technical assistance to the military. The G7 Leaders' Communiqué of 13 June reaffirmed G7 unity on pursuing additional measures should they prove necessary. On 18 June, the UK worked with partners to deliver a UN General Assembly Resolution which urged member states to prevent the flow of arms to Myanmar. We will continue to work closely with partners and through multilateral institutions, such as the UN Security Council, to apply pressure directly on those who sell arms to the military.

Nigeria: Twitter

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of (1) the reasons for, and (2) the impact of, the decision by the government of Nigeria to ban Twitter.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned that the Nigerian Government has suspended Twitter in Nigeria. The Minister for Africa has publicly reiterated the importance of all Nigerians being able to enjoy their right to freedom of expression responsibly. Our High Commission in Abuja has issued a statement with other diplomatic missions conveying disappointment over the suspension and affirming our strong support for freedom of expression.In his statement of 4 June, the Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed argued that the suspension had been imposed because the platform was being persistently used "for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence". On 7 June, our Acting Head of Mission in Abuja, along with senior representatives from other diplomatic missions, met the Nigerian Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, to discuss the suspension and statement, and to reiterate our position. Our diplomats continue to discuss the suspension with the Nigerian Government and other stakeholders, with a view to encouraging a resolution soon. Freedom of expression and the media are essential elements of a democracy.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will distribute the surplus COVID-19 vaccines pledged by the UK for poorer countries.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to equitable access to safe and effective vaccines leading the G7 to commit to donate an additional 1 billion doses. We will share 100 million doses within the next year and 80% of the vaccines shared will go to COVAX. As the multilateral mechanism set up to support international co-operation on vaccines, COVAX remains best-placed to allocate vaccines to where they will be most effective. So far, COVAX has helped deliver over 87m doses to 130 countries and territories.

Turkey: Political Parties

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they intend to have with the government of Turkey about moves to ban the Peoples’ Democratic Party in that country; and what plans they have to raise the issue at (1) the Council of Europe, and (2) NATO.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have made it clear to Turkey that we expect the government to undertake any legal processes or actions against opposition parties, as well as human rights defenders and journalists, fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. We are aware that the government is seeking to ban the People's Democratic Party (HDP). Our Embassy meets regularly with the HDP leadership, as it does with other opposition parties, to discuss their concerns, including the arrests of HDP MPs. We will continue to engage closely with Turkey, including at Ministerial level, to insist that it fulfils its international legal obligations to secure the human rights of all people, regardless of their legitimate political affiliations, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression and assembly, press freedom and the treatment of detainees. We will hold Turkey to account using established international mechanisms, and look for opportunities to raise these issues with our international partners.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether Azerbaijan has withdrawn all its forces from the territory of the Republic of Armenia; what is their position on the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops; and what plans they have (1) to discuss the withdrawal of troops with the government of Azerbaijan, and (2) work with the governments of France, Canada, Belgium and the USA to support that withdrawal.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border following an increase in tensions. Through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders.

Lithuania: Refugees

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide help to the government of Lithuania to support refugees entering that country from Belarus.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is aware of the situation regarding the influx of refugees from Belarus to Lithuania and we are monitoring the situation closely. The UK collaborates closely with the Lithuanian Government and Lithuanian Border Guards and we will continue to do so.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any evidence of (1) fraud, or (2) abuse, connected with the benefits appointee system.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: No assessment has been made. Benefit fraud committed by an appointee is considered in the same way as benefit fraud committed by any claimant. Allegations of financial abuse against an appointee are investigated and will result in the appointeeship being revoked if proven.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the legal basis of the benefits appointee system.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Appointments are made under regulation 33 of The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987/1968 for legacy benefits and regulation 57 of The Universal Credits, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance (Claims and Payments) Regulations 2013/380 for the New Style benefits. Both are supplemented by detailed guidance and provide a sound basis for the department’s appointee system.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Beef and Sheep Meat: Australia

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) beef, and (2) lamb, from Australiawhich has been (a) reared using antibacterial infusions, and (b) fed unrestricted amounts of GM produce, will be allowed into the UK as a result of the recently announced trade deal.

Lord Benyon: The UK is rightly proud of our world-leading food, health and animal welfare standards. As we have previously made clear, we will not compromise on these standards in our trade negotiations. Our deal with Australia does not change any of our existing import requirements. All meat, and other animal products, imported into the UK under this deal will continue to be subject to clear controls on limits of veterinary medicine residues, including antimicrobials. Moreover, we have agreed to cooperate with Australia on combatting antimicrobial resistance. This demonstrates our commitment to values-based trade policy and is a very positive step. Our rules on genetically modified (GM) organisms also remain in place and only authorised GM material will be permitted for import from Australia. However, it is important to clarify that products such as milk and meat derived from animals fed GM feed are not themselves GM organisms. Here in the UK we import approximately 3 million tonnes of authorised GM feed per year - approximately 70% of our total animal protein feed requirement. UK animal products fed with such feed are then exported in the same manner as those fed on non-GM diets and the same is true with Australian animal products. The industry operates in this way regardless of our trade agreement and it presents no weakening of standards on GM.

Beef and Sheep Meat: Australia

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether (1) beef, and (2) lamb, importsfrom Australia that do not meet EU rules will result in greater controls and inspections of all beef and lamb products entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

Lord Benyon: Australia is already permitted to export beef and lamb to the UK on the basis that we have determined it meets our strict animal health and food safety requirements. This is verified through checks at the border on the product and the accompanying veterinary health certification. The rules for the importation of products of animal origin (POAO) including beef and lamb into Great Britain from countries such as Australia is laid down in Retained EU legislation. There is nothing in the trade agreement between the UK and Australia that will lower or compromise the UK’s high food standards and therefore no basis for increased checks on products entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

Home Office

Asylum: Finance

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers are currently dependent on support from the UK Government.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers supported by the UK Government.These statistics are published on a quarterly basis, with the latest information published 27 May 2021 and can be found at: (please see attached table)https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-supportAsylum and Resettlement Data Sets  (xlsx, 7804.3KB)

Employment: Proof of Identity

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether digital IDs would (1) speed up the process, and (2) create an even playing field, for determining the right to work of (a) UK nationals, and (b) foreign nationals seeking to work in the UK; and what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of digital IDs for UK workers who lack a passport or driver’s licence.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We recognise the benefits increased digital checking capability could provide as employers move towards an increase in hybrid and remote working business models.The Home Office’s online right to work checking service has been in operation since April 2018. It enables employers to undertake free digital checks on prospective employees with a valid biometric residence card or permit, status under the EU Settlement Scheme or the new Points-Based System, and those granted a BNO visa.Since January 2019, employers have been able to rely on the online right to work checking service to check a prospective employee’s immigration status. From then until the end of March 2021, there were over 1.3 million views by individuals and over 390,000 views by employers carrying out right to work checks digitally.We are currently evaluating the potential for introducing the option for employers to use specialist technology, including identity document validation technology, to support right to work checks. This may provide a permanent digital option for those unable to use the Home Office online checking service, including UK and Irish citizens.We are discussing with representatives from employer groups the value of such technology, whilst ensuring we maintain the security and integrity of our system in the long-term.

Slavery

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to bring proposed changes to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 before Parliament; whether these proposals will include fines for companies failing to comply with the legislation; how and when they will introduce export controls in order to prevent exports of goods potentially contributing, either directly or indirectly, to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang; and why they decided not to implement the recommendation of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee to produce a whitelist of companies which evidence actions taken to rid their supply chains of forced labour in Xinjiang and a blacklist of firms which fail to do so.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The landmark transparency provisions contained in section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 made the UK the first country in the world to require businesses with a turnover of £36m or more to report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.To enhance the impact of transparency and accelerate action to prevent modern slavery, the Government has committed to strengthening the reporting requirements contained in section 54, including by introducing financial penalties for those that fail to meet their statutory obligation to publish modern slavery statements. These measures require primary legislation and will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. The Government will publish guidance in line with the legislative timescales to help organisations prepare for the new reporting requirements.In January 2021, the Foreign Secretary announced a package of cross-Government policy measures seeking to ensure that UK private and public bodies are not complicit in, nor profiting from, the human rights violations in Xinjiang. This included a review of export controls, to ensure we are doing all we can to prevent the export of goods that may contribute to human rights violations in Xinjiang. This review is ongoing and we will report its outcome to Parliament in due course.The Government’s reasons for not taking forward the recommendation made by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee were set out in our response to the Committee’s report, available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-committee/publications.

Asylum: Finance

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with resolving issues with the Aspen Card.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers were unable to receive their benefits due to recent issues with the Aspen Card.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Fully functioning and tested Aspen cards have been distributed to all service users. The vast majority have activated it and have been using it successfully since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021.Where replacement cards have been requested, they are being actioned swiftly and are being dispatched to service users accordingly.Those experiencing issues with their Aspen card were, and still are, entitled to Emergency Cash Payments (ECPs) if in need. Due to this, all support-entitled asylum seekers were able to receive their benefits, either through an Aspen card or cash payments.The vast majority of service users have now received and activated their new Aspen card since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021. These cards are working and being used successfully to make purchases or withdraw funds (dependent on asylum seeker support type).

Foreign Companies: Slavery

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they require foreign direct-to-consumer businesses selling products in the UK to publish a modern slavery statement; if so, whether they have asked Shein to publish such a statement; and what assessment they have made of whether Shein uses cotton sourced from Xinjiang.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more which carry on a business (or part of a business) in the UK, wherever incorporated or formed, are required to publish annual modern slavery statements setting out steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. The prevalence of modern slavery and complexity of global supply chains means that it is highly unlikely that any sector or company is immune from the risks of modern slavery. Section 54 therefore does not require organisations to certify that their supply chains are ‘slavery free’ or that the Government verifies the content of modern slavery statements. The Government encourages companies to use their statements to report transparently on how they are identifying and addressing their modern slavery risks and demonstrate progress year on year.The Government modern slavery statement registry has been developed to make modern slavery statements available in one place and make it easier for investors, consumers and civil society to scrutinise the action being taken by different organisations and monitor progress. Since launching on 11 March 2021, c.4,000 statements covering over 13,500 organisations have been submitted to the registry on a voluntary basis. In future, it will be mandatory for in scope organisations to submit their statement to the registry, as part of plans to strengthen section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act.Following the Transparency in Supply Chains consultation, in September 2020 the Government announced an ambitious package of measures to strengthen section 54, including mandating the specific reporting topics statements must cover and extending the duty to report to large public bodies. Further to this, in January 2021, the Foreign Secretary announced a package of cross-Government policy measures seeking to ensure that UK private and public bodies are not complicit in, nor profiting from, the human rights violations in Xinjiang. This includes introducing financial penalties for non-compliance with section 54 requirements as well as strengthening the Overseas Business Risk guidance, conducting a review of export controls and increasing support for UK government bodies to exclude suppliers complicit in violations or abuses.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Landlord and Tenant: Conciliation

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the National Residents Landlords Association regarding the development of a landlord–tenant conciliation service.

Lord Greenhalgh: Government holds regular discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, including the National Residents Landlords Association (NRLA) and they have presented their proposals regarding a landlord-tenant conciliation service.We encourage landlords and tenants to work together to resolve issues and have been piloting a new mediation service since February 2021 as part of the possession process to support landlords and tenants to resolve disputes before a formal hearing takes place. The Government is funding the Society of Mediators to provide this new service and it is free to use for all tenants and landlords that agree to do so.More broadly, the Government remains committed to proposals that will require private landlords to belong to a redress scheme. This will ensure that all tenants have access to redress where they have a legitimate complaint about their home, and will also make it easier for private landlords to understand their obligations. We re-stated this commitment at the Queen's Speech in May.We will publish a White Paper detailing our reform programme following engagement with stakeholders.

Housing: Construction

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the night lighting specified in newbuild housing on (1) greenfield, and (2) brownfield, developments to preserve dark skies.

Lord Greenhalgh: The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that planning policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution on local amenity, dark landscapes and nature conservation, including where there may be impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. This should be considered by local authorities when they are assessing proposals for new housing on both greenfield and brownfield sites.The Framework is supported by guidance that emphasises the importance of getting the right light in the right place at the right time and helps local planners and developers to design in ways of avoiding glare and intrusion. The guidance also encourages local planning authorities to engage with all relevant bodies and interested parties who may feel affected by a particular development proposal.Additionally, the Government’s 25-Year Environment Plan includes a commitment to cut all forms of pollution and ease the pressure on the environment, including ensuring that light pollution is managed effectively.

UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Construction

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the impact of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on (1) staff shortages in the construction industry, and (2) the impact of any such staff shortages on house building rates.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government has a set of housing delivery goals and an assessment of the likely workforce requirements to achieve these goals. We will keep a track of how workforce numbers evolve, including in the context of the UK’s departure from the EU, over the coming months and years.We have been making strong progress against the ambition to build at least 1 million new homes in England by the end of this Parliament. In 2019-20, around 244,000 net additional homes were delivered – the highest number of new homes for over 30 years, and the seventh consecutive year that net supply has increased.

Housing: Rural Areas

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) review, and (2) update, what constitutes a designated ‘rural area’ within the terms of section 157 of the Housing Act 1985 with a view to including more smaller rural communities.

Lord Greenhalgh: The areas set out under section 157 of the Housing Act 1985 are National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and areas designated as rural for the purposes of Right to Buy by the Secretary of State.The criteria for rural designation are that the population density is 2 persons or fewer per hectare; and that there are no more than 3,000 inhabitants.Areas are designated at the request of individual local authorities; and can be made at any time.There are no immediate plans to review the designation criteria; but the Government continues its commitment to meeting the housing needs of rural communities.

Housing: Construction

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to put self and custom-build and community-led housing at the heart of the Planning Bill so that the public can bring forward their own development.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to increasing the number of self and custom build homes and community-led housing in this country, and to establish it as a mainstream option for people to choose to get on the housing ladder or when moving home. The Planning Bill will simplify and modernise the planning system. It will establish a clear set of rules, on questions ranging from where communities want homes to be built to the high design and environmental standards that must be met. Both those looking to self and custom build their own home and SME housebuilders will find this system much easier, less costly and quicker to navigate, with more land available for development and clearer expectations on the types of development permitted.

Rents: Arrears

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with HM Courts and Tribunals Service regarding the definition of rent arrears.

Lord Greenhalgh: We hold regular discussions with Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service about the operation of the possession process in the county court.The listing of possession cases for hearing, including the prioritisation of cases based on factors such as outstanding rent arrears, is a judicial function. Temporary court arrangements in response to lifting the stay on possession, detailed in the overall arrangements for possession cases in the county court published in September 2020, provide a guide for the prioritisation of cases as developed by the Master of the Rolls’ Working Group on Possession Proceedings chaired by Justice Robin Knowles. Cases with arrears equal to at least 12 months’ rent, or 9 months’ rent where that amounts to more than 25% of a private landlord’s total annual income from any source, would generally be considered a priority. Justice Knowles has worked with a range of industry stakeholders to implement and review the overall arrangements.Since August 2020, reduced notice periods for the most serious cases that present the most strain on landlords have been in place. This included serious rent arrears of more than 6 months’ rent although this definition of serious rent arrears was changed from 1 June to cases where there is more than 4 months’ rent outstanding. This allows landlords to progress these cases more quickly. We have also published comprehensive guidance to help landlords and tenants understand and navigate all stages of the possession process, including notice periods and court arrangements.

Private Rented Housing: Disadvantaged

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take tointroduce a new tenant hardship loan scheme to support private sector tenants.

Lord Greenhalgh: The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to tenants.We have targeted our interventions as non-repayable forms of support, which offer a sustainable form of support for vulnerable renters, and do not encourage more debt.We have extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit until the end of September, helping renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance rates have been maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector continue to benefit from the significant increase in the local housing allowance rates applied in April 2020. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government has made £140 million available in DHP funding, building on the £180 million provided last year.Renters will continue to benefit from longer notice periods, giving them more time to make alternative arrangements. As of 1 June, until at least 30 September, notice periods will be at least 4 months except in the most egregious cases.We continue to monitor the effectiveness of other examples of support, such as those from the devolved administrations in the UK, and note that uptake for loan support has been relatively low in Scotland and Wales.

Housing: Construction

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to put a target on their aim to diversify the housebuilding industry, and (2) to collect statistics to monitor delivery against that target.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to diversifying the housebuilding industry. This means enabling a greater variety of firms to contribute to housing supply, providing for a wider range of housing needs and improving productivity, quality and choice. We are providing financial support to help drive greater diversification. The £3 billion Short Term Home Building Fund is available to SME housebuilders, MMC manufacturers and other innovative forms of housing delivery. We have also announced a National Home Building Fund (NHBF), investing £7.1 billion over 4 years, including £2.2 billion of investment to SME firms and innovative housebuilders.

Planning: Transport

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure thatthe Planning Bill directs Local Plans towards promoting sustainable transport to end developers being required to overprovide car parking in areas with good public transport and active travel options.

Lord Greenhalgh: As set out in the Planning for the Future white paper, our reforms will leave an inheritance of environmental improvement, including that new homes will be built closer to where people want to live and work, to reduce our reliance on carbon-intensive modes of transport.The White Paper consultation closed in October 2020, and received around 44,000 responses – demonstrating just how important this is to people. We will publish the Government’s response to the consultation, setting out the way forward, ahead of introducing the Planning Bill to Parliament.

Take-away Food: Small Businesses

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that small food and drink businesses can continue to operate as takeaway services; and what steps they are taking to support such businesses in their applications for pavement licences from local authorities.

Lord Greenhalgh: Cafes, restaurants and pubs can already provide a takeaway service where this is ancillary to their main business. During the present Covid-19 restrictions, the Government has taken a number of steps to support food and drink businesses. On 24 March 2020 Government introduced a new national permitted development right allowing cafes, restaurants and drinking establishments to operate as takeaways, which would otherwise usually constitute a change of use. The Government has recently extended the right until March 2022. Once the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, cafes, restaurants and pubs can continue to provide a takeaway service where this is ancillary to their main business.In addition, last summer the Government introduced temporary pavement licence provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020. These create a quicker and cheaper process for businesses, such as restaurants, bars and cafes, to obtain a licence to place outdoor furniture, including tables, chairs and stalls on the highway outside their premise.  In March the Secretary of State wrote to local council leaders and made a statement (HCWS829), on Planning and Hospitality to make clear that the Government expects local authorities to support hospitality businesses to safely reopen, once they are permitted to do so. The Government intends to extend the temporary pavement licence provisions for 12 months until September 2022, subject to Parliamentary approval.

Housing: Disability

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage new build houses to have disabled access.

Lord Greenhalgh: Our planning rules already mean councils must consider the needs of older and disabled people when planning for new homes. In 2019 we published Planning Practice Guidance in order to help councils implement the National Planning Policy Framework policies.  The existing minimum standard for accessible housing requires 4 main criteria that make it accessible for most people, including wheelchair users: level access to the main entrance, a flush threshold, sufficiently wide doorways and circulation space, and a toilet at entrance level.  Government has also consulted on options to raise the accessibility of new homes, recognising the importance of suitable homes for older and disabled people. We are currently considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Construction

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce legislation to require (1) property owners, (2) developers, and (3) building firms, to pay compensation to neighbours affected by (a) noise, (b) vibrations, (c) dust, (d) lost or diminished letting income, (e) over-run of time to complete projects, and (f) diminished property values, while building works are in prospect or progress.

Lord Greenhalgh: This Government supports construction activity, which is crucial to delivering much needed housing as well as infrastructure and other development necessary to sustain and grow our communities. This is why we have taken steps for a temporary period during the Covid pandemic to encourage planning authorities to take a flexible approach to enforcement of breaches of conditioned construction working hours. However, we recognise the disruption that noise, vibration and dust can have on neighbours which is why these changes do not alter authorities' legal obligations under the existing statutory environmental health framework. I can confirm that the Government has no intention of introducing compensation schemes in respect of building activity.

Industrial Health and Safety: Regulation

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to increase the level of resources within local authorities to undertake health and safety regulation; andwhether any such funding is ringfenced.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government made available an increase in Core Spending Power in England from £49 billion in 2020-21 to up to £51.3 billion in 2021-22, a 4.6% increase in cash terms. This recognised the resources councils need to meet their pressures and maintain current service levels. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced in recognition that local authorities are best placed to understand local priorities, such as undertaking health and safety regulation.

Grenfell Tower: Fires

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government when those people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower fire will be permanently rehoused.

Lord Greenhalgh: All 201 households from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk have accepted an offer of accommodation, and over 95% (195 households) have moved into a new permanent homeCurrently 6 households are not yet in permanent homes. These households are currently living in high quality temporary accommodation. The Council is working with these households at a pace that suits them.

Islam and Palestinians: Discrimination

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) Islamophobic, and (2) anti-Palestinian, rhetoric in the UK as part of expressions of support for Israel.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government maintains a dialogue with communities, stakeholders and key victim reporting and support centres such as Tell MAMA and the Community Security Trust during periods of heightened community tension. Our assessment of anti-Muslim and antisemitic hate crime in relation to recent events in the Middle East has been based on information regarding hate crime statistics, hate incidents and online sentiment released publicly by Tell MAMA and the Community Security Trust.

Environmental Health

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has to establish a Chief Environmental Health Officer role (1) to coordinate environmental health teams within local authorities, and (2) to provide advice and support to the Department.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Department convened the Regulatory Services Task and Finish Group in December 2020 to help coordinate central government’s expectation of regulatory services teams in local government and propose short and long-term options to support the sector. The Group consists of senior officials from government departments and senior representatives from the Local Government Association and local authorities The Group is now focussed on developing a suite of recommendations to address the immediate and systemic issues faced by regulatory services teams, which includes environmental health teams. These recommendations will address areas including the cross-government coordination of departments and the establishment of ongoing links with local authority experts.

Department for International Trade

Agricultural Products: Australia

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relative Greenhouse Gas Emissions arising from UK and Australian farming products; and whether such an assessment was considered when concluding its agreement in principle on a free trade agreement with Australia.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Government has always been clear that any free trade agreement it signs will not threaten the UK’s ability to meet its environmental commitments or its membership of international environmental agreements. The Government is seeking a deal with Australia that will further environmental and climate policy priorities and the UK will not compromise on high environmental protection. The Government carried out a public consultation and scoping assessment for its free trade agreement negotiation with Australia, which can be found on the Government’s website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uks-approach-to-negotiating-a-free-trade-agreement-with-australia/uk-australia-free-trade-agreement-the-uks-strategic-approach). This preliminary scoping assessment considered illustrative scenarios and served as a point of reference when concluding the agreement in principle. Following the conclusion of negotiations, a full impact assessment will be published prior to implementation.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Pesticides

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Pesticide Action Network UKToxic Trade: How joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) threatens to weaken UK pesticide standards, published on 7 June; and what assessment they have made of the YouGov polling referenced in that report which found that more than two thirds of respondents were concerned about negative impacts to the environment and human healthresulting from a lowering of UK pesticide standards as a result of joining the CPTPP.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership protects the right for members to regulate on public policy issues such as environmental standards. This includes setting regulations on pesticides. The Government will continue to ensure that its own levels of protection are based on appropriate scientific risk assessment with the protection of people and the environment being of greatest importance. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections and will not compromise on them. The Government has ensured in law that existing standards will remain in place, and is clear that trade does not have to come at the expense of the environment.

Trade Agreements: Australia

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what ways, if any, the application of the UK–Australia free trade deal agreed on 14 June will be different in Northern Ireland than in the rest of the UK.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Government will ensure the agreement works for the whole of the UK and takes appropriate consideration of the UK’s constitutional arrangements and obligations. The Government will provide for application of the treaty to all four constituent nations of the UK, taking into account the effects of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol. Ministers and officials from the Northern Ireland Executive receive regular updates on the deal. Northern Ireland exporters will benefit fully from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Around 90% of all goods exports from Northern Ireland to Australia are machinery and manufacturing-based goods, and once in force this FTA will remove all tariffs on UK exports to Australia, which will help further boost Northern Ireland’s exports.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with environmental NGOs in the UK regarding the UK’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: As part of the public consultation on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Government has engaged with hundreds of businesses, Non-Governmental Organisations, and trade unions, some of whom gave views on environmental issues. Points raised were analysed and will continue to inform the Government’s overall approach to negotiating UK accession to the agreement. CPTPP has high environmental standards and maintains the UK’s right to regulate for its own level of environmental protection. The UK will not need to lower domestic standards to join and the Government notes that within the CPTPP agreement there are commitments to environmental protection.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Digital Technology: Disadvantaged

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they aretaking (1) to increase digital inclusivity, and (2) to address the digital divide.

Baroness Barran: The Government’s 10 Tech Priorities include building a tech savvy nation where everyone has a base level of cyber and digital skills. Training is available for adults wishing to acquire digital skills. The Government has introduced a digital entitlement for adults with no or low digital skills to undertake specified digital qualifications, up to level 1, free of charge. The Government is tackling the digital divide for adults with learning disabilities through our £2.5m Digital Lifeline fund. This fund is providing tablets, data and free digital support to over 5,000 people with learning disabilities, enabling them to connect with friends and family, and access services and support groups, promoting overall well being. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital connectivity. It has been an important component in allowing children to learn remotely. Over 1.3 million laptops and tablets have been distributed to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education providers for disadvantaged children and young people as part of a £400 million government investment to support access to remote education and online social care services. Government has worked closely with industry throughout the pandemic and agreed a set of commitments with the UK’s major broadband and mobile operators to support consumers during the Covid-19 period. Providers have committed to working with customers who are finding it difficult to pay their bill as a result of Covid-19 to ensure that they are treated fairly and appropriately supported. There are also social tariffs in place that provide low cost landline and broadband services for those on means tested benefits.

Arts

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage growth in the creative industries.

Baroness Barran: The creative industries contributed approximately £116bn to the UK economy in 2019. The Government has recognised the sector as one of the key sectors to drive growth across the country in the Chancellor’s Plan for Growth. We are actively supporting the creative industries through a range of initiatives such as:£4m towards the Creative Scale-Up programme which seeks to help creative businesses expand their operations.£39m towards the Creative Clusters programme through UKRI which connects businesses and academia to take advantage of the most recent research and innovations so they can grow.£33m towards the Audience of the Future which encouraged creative businesses to use innovative new technologies to reach new audiences.£20m towards the first round of the Cultural Development Fund to support business growth and productivity through investment in cultural and creative infrastructure via five projects in places like Wakefield and Worcester, in addition to a further £18.5m for a second round as part of the landmark Cultural Investment Fund, launched in May 2021.HMG committed over £2m to the Creative Careers Programme which aims to address aspirational and informational barriers to entry amongst young people and their carers. To date over 115,000 young people have engaged with the programme at over 1500 schools in England and Wales.Continuing to work with industry through the Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board to increase exports in the creative industries.The Government supports trade promotion in the CIs through DIT’s export hubs, the Internationalisation Fund, the Export Academy. All this support will feature in the Creative Industries Export Campaign which will encourage both new exporters and companies wanting to look at new export markets to take advantage of the fantastic opportunities available to the UK as an independent trading nation.The Government is also looking carefully at options for an Export Office.